Did you know the intensity of a severe storm can be determined by Waffle House in the United States?

Waffle House has more than 2,100 locations in 25 states in the United States, with the majority of them along the southern states especially the eastern seaboard and gulf coast. As shown on the map below

With the chain being very predominant in the southern states and every store being open 24 hours, 365 days a year makes a great informal gauge on the localized impact of a storm by Waffle House.

Tracks of all known Atlantic tropical cyclones from 1851 to 2012. (From Wikipedia) If you look, a lot of the Hurricane Tracks impact majority of the storms impact the states with a majority of the area impacted are those with the most waffle houses. Which helps make them a great gauge. Waffle House is one of the top four companies for disaster response, with Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe's.

Waffle House has an extensive disaster management plan with on-site and portable generators and positioned food and ice ahead of severe weather events. This helps mitigate the effects of a storm on the power grid and the supply chains.
The Waffle House Index: Green: the restaurant is serving a full menu, indicating the restaurant has power and damage is limited.
Yellow: the restaurant is serving a limited menu, indicating there may be no power or only power from a generator or food supplies may be low.
Red: the restaurant is closed, indicating severe damage.

^This is the full "Green" menu (everyday menu) on the Waffle House index

^This is a full "Yellow" menu (limited menu) on the Waffle House index

Proof Hurricane Matthew is serious: Waffle House is closed | New York Post
There have been times right after severe weather where Waffle House has reopened such as the 2011 Joplin Tornado. The two Waffle House restaurants in Joplin remained open after the EF5 multiple-vortex tornado struck the city.
So, yeah. FEMA has an informal gauge from how a Waffle House is operating that measures an intensity of severe storms. The "waffle house index" term was coined by Former FEMA Admin Craig Fugurate wh said that "If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That's really bad. That's when you go to work."